Another week, another show and tell! This week is about wrapping up some things and showing you the end results. First off is the vision board from last week. I showed an unpainted frame last Monday, well here is the result. As you see, I didn't go with the Parisian theme after all. I was sort of inspired by a comment made by Francie of The Scented Cottage and decided to follow my creative side on this one. I was feeling blue, not literally. . and I got the angel for a great deal! I am rather happy with how it turned out. I even included some rose sachet from The Scented Cottage on the board. It is so yummy smelling, like fresh roses. It was such fun to make, now I am working on mini 5x7 boards. This should be fun!
Next up are some journals and tags I have had lying around and finally put the finishing touches on them. The journals are available, the tags will be soon! It feels so good to get something done that has been sitting there incomplete for so long. Speaking of incomplete for so long, my workspace is calling out to me. Maybe this week I'll finally get it done!
Finally, I end with pictures of my babies and the first day of school. Last Monday Julian was starting 1st grade. Well, we made it through week one with no tears. . well, ok, a few. . . yes it was me, but he loves it and I am so happy to be back in my routine. When I look at the picture from last week, and then this new one I am reminded how blessed we are to have such a bright, happy, healthy boy. Oh, and little sis, Francesca had to have her picture taken too, my little ham! Thanks for stopping by, have a safe and wonderful week!
Oh, I have so many favorite things. Vintage papers, beautiful ephemera, tiny little buttons, silky ribbons, and elegant lace. I also have an affinity for box purses and anything glittery and dainty. So won't you join us and see some of our favorite things for sale at Noelle Garrett Designs this Friday, August, 28th. It's Pink Friday and this week the boutiques of Make Mine Pink are offering up a few of their favorite things! Click on the shopping bag below for a list of participating merchants. You may just find a few of your favorite things!
My son is beginning 1st grade today. My how time flies. I know I am a bit sappy, but I look at him and I still see my little boy. If I am this bad now, I am in trouble when he is off to college. LOL. Ah. . but it's all about watching them soar, nothing feels better than that!I love this time of year. There is always a feeling that anything is possible, to me it's my new year, my clean slate. What time of year is it you ask? Well, it's the beginning of a new school year. I guess it is the mother/student/teacher in me that loves the first day of school. It's funny, you can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher. This will begin my 4th year since I left teaching to be home with my children. I still think in terms of "school years." I often schedule my day in terms of school hours. I often wonder if that will ever change. There are times when I run into former students, now in college and I hear "Hey, Mrs. G!" I love where I am and what I am doing, but there is a little bit of me who misses the "first day" and all the possibilities it brings.
I guess it is fitting then that my show and tell is all about starting something new. My first picture is of an unfinished frame. It's all about a clean slate right now. I am going to make an inspiration board from scratch. I am really looking forward to this. Something new and fun, I am thinking a Parisian style, but you neve know what direction things will go in. I'm open to suggestions on color schemes! (In other words, what color should I paint it?) My goal is to finish it this week.
My next project is putting together little kits for a new section on my site called It's Time to Get Creative! I thought it would be fun to sell little packages of papers, ephemera, tags, vintage buttons and trims to help spark creativity in others. I also would like to have these up this week.
Speaking of starting something new, I am so excited to share that my first ad is out in the new Somerset Studio Sept/Oct issue. This was a big leap for me and I hope it is the beginning of wonderful things to come!
So I guess for me, this "year" is about starting on a new path and taking risks. I am looking ahead and I am beginning to feel my goals are real and attainable, and for the first time. . . I'm not scared. . . I'm ready!
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful week!
It's Pink Friday again! Join us this Friday, August 22nd for Gotta Have Bling! We have a lovely assortment of treasures for you on our site. Don't forget to visit all the participating boutiques from Make Mine Pink Have fun shopping!
Happy Monday everyone. This summer has just flown by. My son has one more week then he starts 1st grade, I can't believe how fast they grow. It will be nice to be in a routine again, although I will miss sleeping in so much. I had a pretty quiet weekend.. Our dear kitten Leo decided to explore the fireplace on Sunday. As you can imagine he was black with soot. Poor thing, I had to put him in the bathtub and wash him several times before he would come clean. Now he smells like lavender from my daughter's baby shampoo. I hope he learned his lesson. Ok, on to show and tell.
I had a fairly productive week. I finished up an order of 50 bottles for a wedding, and also completed my swag bag item for the MMP retreat, which will be shipped off today. I even found time to work on my site, changing around things a bit, and adding a new category I can't wait to fill this week. Somehow, I did manage to make a few new journals. Here are some pictures of them. Two are available on my site, the other one is off on a journey of its own. Now I feel free to start work on some new ideas I have floating around in my noggin. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely week!
Won't you join us for a wonderfully unique shopping experience? It's Pink Friday, August 15th and we are offering our share of lovely Vintage Linens. Shop early for the best selection of unique vintage finds for your linen closest. Visit our site as well as all the participating boutiques of Make Mine Pink for exclusive finds this Friday only! Below is a list of shops that will be participating this week. So sit back, relax and shop till you drop!
I have been triple tagged! Oh my. Thank you so much to Eileen of Forget Me Not Dreams,
Lilli of Lilli Blue's Vintage Rescues, and Andie of Brown Bee Studio.
Now I have to tell 7 random things about myself. So here it goes!
1. I love fashion, and I got into FIT in New York, but did not attend for. . .well. . let's just say I was not allowed to go. Unfortunately I didn't have the strength at the time to step out on my own. Instead I stayed close to home and ended up with a degree in English. I became a teacher, which to my surprise, I loved. I still miss it at times, I have been out of the classroom for 3 years now. Wow! I still hold the dream of designing close to my heart, though it probably will not happen in this life time.
2. I was a concert monster, I love many kinds of music but am a rocker at heart and went to at least 5-10 shows a month in my teens and twenties (before kids) LOL.
3. My hubby and I met at work, our classrooms were next door to each other. We were very professional and thought we had hidden our feelings from everyone. When we told our principal and staff we were getting married, they laughed and said they all new we were dating. I guess you can't hide true love. We have been married for almost 8 years and have never had a fight. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. :)
4. My nickname for many years was Tomato. I made a tomato costume for Halloween when I was 17 and the name just stuck. This also evolved into a very extensive tomato collection (kitchen things mostly).
5. I took 7 years of French in school. I thought of being a translator, or moving there one day. A girl can dream . . .
6. I don't eat red meat of any kind. Haven't touched it since I was 12.
7. I haven't seen my natural hair color since the 7th grade. I assume it is dark blond with bits of gray. Yikes!
Well, now it's my turn to tag.
* Marie of Savon Marie
*Colby of Acorn Cottage Crafts
*Pei Li of Miniature Patisserie Chef
*Lisa of Pale Pink and Roses
I have to be honest, I had planned to skip Show and Tell Monday. I just felt creatively stifled this week. I'm not exactly sure why, perhaps too many late nights . . . .distractions. . . . lack of sleep. . .house falling apart at the seams. I just couldn't get myself together. I was starting to feel burnt out. I would sit and stare at the table before me, paper spread out, boxes of embellishments overflowing. . . and nothing. My mind was blank, I tried everything I could think of to get my creative spark back but just felt empty. I reorganized, shopped for new materials, spent hours going through magazines and websites for inspiration, took naps, spent time with nature. . . all the while hoping for a fire to ignite, and still . . .nothing. This went on for days, each morning I would try and things just weren't coming together.
I finally started journaling, trying to figure out why I felt this way. I love what I do. I usually fall asleep thinking of new ideas, and wake up just itching to make something. This feeling I found had been replaced with a sense of having "chores" to do. I don't want this to ever feel like a chore, it is a love, a feeling that if I don't get to "play" I will simply explode. I finally gave myself permission to simply . . .step away. I took time to do other things, find the joy again, find the reason why I started this in the first place. It's more than just a business . . it's an outlet, an expression of who we are, what we love, our style. I realized I was feeling pushed to go in an area I was not happy with. I suppose we all have our own clock. . . I just need to slow down a bit and follow my own, not get wrapped up in measuring my success in time, but rather in the joy I can try to bring to others. Isn't that what this is all about?
I received a letter the other day from a frequent customer of mine. She said she had spent time with her family (several states away) and when she arrived home, she was feeling a bit down, as she missed them terribly. Waiting for her was a package with a journal she had ordered, she thanked me and said it brought tears to her eyes and a smile to her face, it was exactly what she needed. That was it right there. If I never sold another thing, my creation made her feel better. What more could I possibly ask for?
Here I am. It has been about 5 days since I have made anything. I am beginning to feel clear headed, the ideas are coming back. That itch to create is growing. Tomorrow I will tiptoe back into the paper. . get lost again, in hopefully something wonderful. I suppose my message to you is simple. Remember to let yourself breathe from time to time. It's okay, to step away and find your inspiration. You will be happy you did in the end.
Have a wonderful week and thank you so much for listening.
Next up are some journals and tags I have had lying around and finally put the finishing touches on them. The journals are available, the tags will be soon! It feels so good to get something done that has been sitting there incomplete for so long. Speaking of incomplete for so long, my workspace is calling out to me. Maybe this week I'll finally get it done!
Finally, I end with pictures of my babies and the first day of school. Last Monday Julian was starting 1st grade. Well, we made it through week one with no tears. . well, ok, a few. . . yes it was me, but he loves it and I am so happy to be back in my routine. When I look at the picture from last week, and then this new one I am reminded how blessed we are to have such a bright, happy, healthy boy. Oh, and little sis, Francesca had to have her picture taken too, my little ham! Thanks for stopping by, have a safe and wonderful week!
